As an amateur naturalist, I thought, this man was probably a pedlar of nonsense dressed up as science. But he was no fool. He had refrained from asking me about matrimony, an obvious inquiry of a woman who seeks to put to sea without any mention of a husband. It seemed reasonable to assume, therefore, that he might harbour designs upon me. I would need to watch him carefully.

But for any of the difficulties that could arise—with my father, with the sea, with the sealers or with the brutish man who might be behind the Howrah’s wrecking—this doctor could be an ally. Which reminded me to ask.

‘Doctor Gideon, what do you make of the sealers? Would we be at risk from them?’

Before he could reply, Beckwith interrupted.

‘Perhaps you read the papers, my dear? The island communities are as good as lawless. You would be well advised to conduct your investigations from the sea and never set foot upon the land. I can have this vessel fitted with one or two small cannon, lest they approach and you feel the need to loose a warning shot.’

The doctor listened to this calmly. He gestured towards the harbourmaster: agreeable in the very act of disagreeing.

‘I am sure we can apply our discernment, evaluate the residents as we find them. As you say, madam—’

‘Miss,’ I corrected him. Damn it. Slightly too fast.

‘Miss. The task is to identify what happened and who were the perpetrators, not to bring them in. Equally, the islanders are known for their refusal to abide external authority. I do feel we should take measures to protect ourselves. You might wish to consult with the vessel’s owner, this Mister Sini—’

‘Srinivas. Srin-i-vas.’

He practised the word silently, smiled again.

‘—Mister Srinivas, about the availability of some strong hands to work the decks. They may double in defence of us if the need arises.’

There was an arrogance about this doctor, or perhaps merely a sense of assurance. I could see that it might become tiresome. But in a welcome contrast with the wild theories of recent days, here was a man who saw clear past the small hysterias. Here was a cool analyst, a level head: someone, perhaps, I could trust.

EMBARKATION

EMBARKATION

I took my leave of my employers, and told them I would be three weeks or so. I had worked without stint for them, occupied a role in their children’s lives that was somewhere between tutor, governess and maid. They, and by ‘they’ I mean the wife, would have to reacquaint themselves with all of these roles. I saw no prospect that the Cooper children’s Greek verbs would improve over my absence.